Welcome to WTTGT’s new blog: The Wenger era.
Over the course of these posts, we’ll take a look at the best players to have graced the red and white of Arsenal since the Professor arrived at Highbury back in September 1996.
By the end of the blog, we’ll have formed the best Wenger XI as voted for by YOU.
Today we take a look at right-backs, and you have three of the best from Wenger’s time at the club to choose from.
Happy voting!
Lee Dixon
A bonafied Arsenal legend, Lee Dixon arrived at Highbury in 1988 to make it his fourth footballing home after playing for Burnley, Chester City, Bury and Stoke City prior to the move.
He would rubberstamp North London as his permanent home and spent the next 14 trophy-filled years as a Gunner.
He won 12 trophies, including four top division titles, as well as racking up 22 England caps with a solitary international goal during his 458 Arsenal appearances.
Dixon was always keen to join the attack, often supporting whoever was playing in front of him and was a part of the Gunners’ legendary back five, along with Tony Adams, David O’Leary, Steve Bould and Nigel Winterburn before being joined by Martin Keown and goalkeeper David Seaman.
Dixon had a hand in Michael Thomas’ title-winning goal back at Anfield in 1989 and won two doubles with the club in 1998 and then again in 2002.
He retired at the age of 38 and then enjoyed a testimonial match against Celtic for his service to the club.
Below is a video of Dixon scoring a banger against Chelsea in front of the North Bank – enjoy.
Lauren
Nicknamed Ralph for obvious reasons, Lauren joined the Gunners for a hefty £7.2m from Mallorca in 2000 and was initially brought in as cover for both the defence and midfield.
It took him just one year to become Arsenal’s first choice right-back as he replaced Lee Dixon and overtook Oleg Luzhny in the pecking order.
He went on to make 159 appearances for the club, and became one of the legendary ‘Invincibles’ as the Gunners enjoyed the unbeaten Premier League season in 2003-04.
Lauren’s first silverware with the North Londoners came in 2002 when they won the double before adding another FA Cup winners medal to his collection the following year.
He won his second Premier League title the following season and a third FA Cup the year after that before injury essentially brought an end to his Arsenal career before he moved on to Portsmouth in 2006.
Below is a video of Lauren scoring a banger against Chelsea in front of Stamford Bridge – enjoy.
Bacary Sagna
Arguably Arsenal’s most consistent player over the last few years and certainly the Premier League’s best right-back since his arrival, Bacary Sagna has certainly made an impact in his time at the Emirates.
He was bought from Auxerre in 2007 for roughly £8m and has gone on to make over 150 appearances for Arsenal and rising.
Given the form of Emmanuel Eboue at the time, many Gooners were scratching their heads about the entrance of Sagna, but the Frenchman took little time to change their minds.
Strong, quick, powerful and possessing a lethal cross, Sagna has it all and can play anywhere across the backline, a skill which is very useful given Arsenal’s recent defensive woes.
He has been named in the PA Premier League Team of the Year twice, and scored the goal that got Arsenal’s last campaign back on the track in the crucial North London derby against Spurs.
He is still only 29, and has many years left in the red and white shirt.
We don’t have a video of him scoring a banger against Chelsea, but we do have an awesome clearance off the line against Aston Villa.
Matt Cotton
@FindingCotton
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